DVD Releases for February 7, 2006 - Part 2

February 7th, 2006

The second part of this week's list is not as long as the first, but the quality is a bit higher with two releases I'd rate as must haves, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit - Buy from Amazon and Waiting... - Unrated Edition. I'm giving the coveted DVD Pick of the Week to the latter release because it has the best DVD package coming out this week while the former is a little light on special features. However, if you are not a fan of gross-out humor, go with the former instead.

NOVA - Buy from Amazon: Hitler's Sunken Secret and Volcano Under the City
Two more episodes of NOVA released on DVD, the first dealing with Nazi Germany's attempt to develop a nuclear weapon during World War II and the second about volcanologist trying to determine when Mount Nyirangongo may erupt next. These are both fascinating episodes, but the price is just too much for TV on DVD releases. I really wish PBS would release their shows on full season sets and for a more reasonable amount.

Poltergeist: The Legacy - Season One - Buy from Amazon
The first season of this series based on the Poltergeist franchise. The Legacy in the title refers to a secret society that battles the forces of evil with the help of an ex-seal, a priest, a psychic, and others. It's a good show for the most part, but this 5-disc set contains there are no real special features and that limits its value.

The Richard Pryor Collection - Buy from Amazon
Four films from Richard Pryor filmography. Like I mentioned last night, when it comes to box sets you have to watch out for double-dips and filler, and this set is filled with them. All four movies have been previously been released on DVD, and only Car Wash earned overall positive reviews. Add in zero special features and this collection is simply not worth picking up.

Ryan's Daughter - Two-Disc Special Edition - Buy from Amazon
Nominated for four Oscars, and winner of two, the film is the third time director David Lean and writer Robert Bolt teamed up. Their previous films? Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. So there's a lot for this movie to live up to, and unfortunately it doesn't quite live up. On the other hand, it is still a very good movie and the 2-disc set has plenty of special features including a 2-disc is packed with special features like an audio commentary track pieced together from lots of interviews while the second disc has two documentaries.

The Simpsons - Kiss and Tell - Buy from Amazon
Great show, terrible release. First of all, I hate TV on DVD releases that are not full season sets. Most of the episodes are from seasons 14 and 15, so while it will take a few years before they hit DVD in full season sets, there are simply not nearly enough special features to rush to get this DVD.

A Slightly Pregnant Man - Buy from Amazon
A high concept comedy from French director Jacques Demy. While he has directed some excellent films, this one never really lives up to expectation. Add in zero special features and the DVD is best skipped.

A State of Mind - Buy from Amazon
One of the most candid looks inside North Korea, which is an incredibly secretive state. This documentary was the best-reviewed movie of 2005 and anyone worried about the West's relationship with North Korea should see this movie. (On a side note, they have nukes, so if you aren't interested, you should be.) The reason why the filmmakers could learn so much was because on the outside they film didn't have a political focus but instead looked at the lives of two girls training for the Mass Games, the largest exhibition of gymnastics in the world. However, in that country everything is done for the service of the state, more specifically, their leader, Kim Jong Il. Even with special features that are a little on the light side, this is a DVD that is worth checking out.

Teen Titans - The Complete First Season - Buy from Amazon
Another D.C. Comiccartoon coming out today, and like The Batman, this 2-disc set has plenty of special features including making of featurette, a look at the voice talent, and even two featurettes about Puffy Ami Yumi. Worth picking up for fans of the show.

Touched by an Angel - The Third Season - Volume 1 - Buy from Amazon
There were 29 episodes this season, which is more than most shows but not so much that they needed to divide the release into two volumes. But since they did, the least they could have don was include some special features. But no, there are none on this 4-disc set.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Two-Disc Special Edition - Buy from Amazon
Set during the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, this is arguably director Philip Kaufman's greatest film. And while there are some impressive special features on this 2-disc set, the video quality is poor enough that it simple isn't worth adding to your DVD collection. Very disappointing.

Waiting... - Buy from Amazon: 2-Disc Unrated Widescreen, R-Rated Pan & Scan
Definitely not a movie for everyone as it relies too heavily on gross-out humor at times and that distracts from the Clerkesque look at your typical lunchtime restaurant and the assorted characters that work there. As for the Deluxe Edition, it is an amazing 2-disc set for what it a small film, (it cost just $1 million to make). There are the usual deleted scenes, outtakes, making off featurette, which clock in at more than 40 minutes, then there's the massive making of documentary, which is longer than the movie itself. And that's not even mentioning the Expanded Telestrator version of the movie, which is either inspired genius or insanity, I'm not sure which. I admit, I am biased about the film since I am a fan or Ryan Reynolds ' particular brand of snarky humor, and the movie is obviously not high art, but the overall package is still the best coming out tomorrow and it is the DVD Pick of the Week.

Wildfire: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon
Genevieve Cortese stars as Kris Furillo, a woman just out of juvenile hall who is forced to take a job at Raintree Horse Farm as part of her parole. There she works for the Ritters, a once-powerful family that has lost a lot over the years. All of their lives start to improve when she teams up with a horse called Wildfire and enters the world of horse racing. All 13 episodes from the first season on a 4-disc set plus extras like audio commentary tracks, featurettes on the horse and the ranch, deleted scenes and more. A better than expected release for a show on ABC Family.

Wire in the Blood: The Complete Third Series - Buy from Amazon
Wow, important are expensive. Even taking into account the extra-long running time of these four episodes, (with commercials they would run 90 minutes), the price tag is just too much. Maybe is the 4-disc set was packed with special feature, but it's not as it contains just bios and previews for these shows and the previousreleases. This is a great show, and I really wish the DVDs were a better value, but I can't recommend them at this price.

X-Files - Collector's Edition - Buy from Amazon: Season 1, Season 2, and Season 3
An important update from last week's list. The X-Files season sets released last week are not the original 7-disc sets like I was led to believe, but are in fact downgraded to 6-disc sets with most of the special features missing. What the hell is wrong with that studio?

You Stupid Man - Buy from Amazon
I like David Krumholtz, I think he's a great actor and a really funny guy. But there's something about him having to chose between Milla Jovovich and Denise Richards that strains suspension of disbelief. He is the best part of this movie, but that's not enough to lift it to even the rental level.